ridley



T. W. mDLEY.

ANNEAUNG nu 0R oven.

APPLCTON FILED FEB. 2h gll 1 96, 1 52 Yatented Aug. 29, 1916.

3 SHETS-SKEET l.

T.W.H1DLEY,

ANNEAUNG. KLN 0R OVEN.

APPUC'ON FILES FEE, 2, i916. 1 196 152 PateutedAug. 29,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T. W. RIDLEY.

ANNEALiNG KILN 0R OVEN.

AFPLICATION mso rsa. 21. 191s.

1 ,1 96,1 52, Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

\N\\\k\ mm III NNN www WOM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS WILLIAM RIDLEY, OF MIDDLESBROUGH, ENGLAND.

ANNEALING KILN 0R OVEN.

Application filed February 21, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs VVInLIaM RmLnv, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in Middlesbrough, in the county of York` England, have. invented certain new and useful Iniprovements in Annealing Kilns or Ovens, of which the following is a specification.

'lhis'invention relates to kilns or ovens for annealing slag bricks or blocks. In the manufacture of such blocks it is customary to run the molten slag into cast iron molds and to thus obtain blocks having chilled outer cases enveloping molten slag inside the blocksu Within a few seconds after the slag has been run into the molds the latter are opened and the blocks are dropped or deposited on a soft bed from whlch they are transfred h v suitable tools, such as forks and peels, to the kiln or oven which is filled with the blocks as quickly as possible then closed and kept closed until the blocks are annealed. The heat of the molten slag inside the blocks assists in the operation, the whole contents of the kiln soon becoming of a very high and even temperature and then the blocks are cooled and annealed gradually in such manner that dense` compacty .-nd generally uniformly annealed blocks are ohtained. YVhere the blocks are not dealt with in this way they become brittle and break like glass. (`old air coming in contact with the hot blocks deteriorates them by inter- 'fering with the annealing operation and it is therefore of great importance to protect the blocks as soon as possible after they are put into the kiln hy placing other lilocks in front of them, and this is especially the case at the conin'iencement of the kiln-filling operation when the kiln and the air in it are comparatively cold. For this reason in lilling or charging a kiln with the hot slag blocks it has been customary to form a small heap of blocks at the farther or inner end of the kiln by means of a peel and this heap of blocks is gradually increased in height, width and length to form a fairly compact mass. The operation of charging the kiln is continued and the slag blocks first insert-- ed are soon completely covered and their latent heat is given up to increase the temperature of the kiln and its contents and t0 (,:olmnence at once the annealing process. As soon as the kiln is completely filled it is closed in order t() exclude drafts of air.

lt is important that the kiln should be 0f Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

Serial No. 79,737.

such dimensions that it' may receive a sufficient quantity of blocks to obtain, by means of their latent heat, a temperature in the kiln high enough to produce a satisfactory annealing of sach blocks. It is also important that the kiln should he of such size that it may be supplied quickly with blocks from the molding machine and be quickly and completely filled in order that the kiln door may he shut and to thus exclude drafts of air.

I have found that the annealing operation may be greatly facilitated and made more uniform if the kiln is so constructed that it may first receive a relatively small heap of blocks at its inner end close to its rear and side walls and then receive successive rows or heaps of blocks which will successively protect or cover them so that as each heap is formed it will protect the preceding heap from cold air entering through the kiln door. I further find that the operation of filling the kiln is facilitated by filling in the corners at the front of thekiln so that they are not left vacant when the kiln is Closed, or so that the awkward and troublesome operation of placing the blocks in such corners is avoided.

According to my invention the kiln is made oblong and at its inner or rear end its width is reduced by suitably filling or rounding the corners. or otherwise So Shaping them that the kiln is made somewhat narrower at its rear end than in the middle or body portion thereof. In this Way a heap of blocks may be more quickly placed in theinner or farther end of the kiln close to the reai and side walls thereof and thus protected from drafts of air and as soon as another heap of blocks is placed in front of the heap tirst inserted the latter is completely protected. At the front end of the kiln I similarly till the corners by curving, rounding or otherwise forming them to reduce the width of the kiln at its front end so that there shall he no unfilled corners or whereby such corners may he made readily accessible from the charging door.

ln the accom])anying drawings, Figure l shows a set-tional plan of an annealing kiln embodying my improvements. Fig. *2 shows a iet-tical transverse section thereof. ["ig. il hows a sectional plan of a modification.

The kiln is constructed Inainly of tirelirick as usual and as indicated in the drawings. The vertical walls which are built of fire-brick are surrounded by a sheet metal shell A. The kiln bottom B is made of firebrick and the top is arched and constructed of fire-brick C covered by a paving course D. The charging door E may be constructed.and equipped in any suitable way and a flue l" is provided at the rear end of the kiln as usual. The material employed in the construction of the kiln forms no part of my'invention. Any suitable or usual materials may be used. The shape of the interior of the kiln is, however, important. It will be observed by reference to Fig. l that the kiln is oblong. the opposite sido walls a being straight while the end walls b are curved. In this way the four corners of the kiln are. filled, that is to say, if the kiln were oblong and its straight` side walls joined to end walls which were also straight there would be sharp corners at the. ends of the kiln having the disadvantages heretofore mentioned. Preferably the corners are filled by curving or rounding them in the manner indicated in Fig. 1, but a similar result may be obtained by forming polygonal end walls as indicated in Fig. 3 and it is obvious that other ways may bey employed for reducing the width of the kiln at its front and rear ends in such manner as to fill the corners.

IVhen the charging operation commences blocks taken from the molds are passed by means of a peel or other suitable tool through the charging doorway to the rear end of the kiln and placed close to the rear wall thereof forming a heap or pile at the rear end of the kiln which is relatively narrow, the width of the kiln at the rear end being less than the width of the kiln in its middle portion by reason of the curved construction of the real wall. After this first heap or pile of blocks is made, another heap or pile in front. of that first made is constructed which serves to protect the first pile of blocks. The width of the heaps or piles gradually increases toward the middle portion of the kiln and then the piles or rows of blocks are uniform until the front portion of the kiln reached and then the rows of blocks gradually diminish in width. When the kiln is completely filled the charging door is closed. In this way thel heat of the blocks is utilized to obtain a uniformly high temperature. in the kiln and thus the annealing process commences immediately after the first row or heap of blocks is covered by the next suceding row. It will be observed also that as the. rows of blocks are placed in the front portion of the kil: the width of the rows decreases and conse- .inaccessible spaces.

quently can be more quickly formed near the charging door through which more or less air enters. Furthermore no vacant inaccessible corners are left in the front portion of the kiln inasmuch as the blocks can be readily placed against its curved front walls by the peel or other tool employed for charging. In this way the kiln is given large capacity because its middle. portion is of maximum width and there are no vacant The blocks can be compactly piled and the annealing operation is commenced at an early period while the chilling of the last rows of blocks is largely reduced because of the fact that the front rows of blocks are narrower and hence can be constructed in less time.

lreferably the kiln is made 'in the form shown in the drawings. The best results are obtained when the length of the kiln chamber is greater than its width and where the width is contracted or decreased as it approaches either or preferably both ends. 'here I have. specified an oblong kiln chamber I do not mean to exclude one in which the sides are slightly rounded or curved so long as either or both of its ends are so formed as to cause the width of the chamber to decrease toward its end or ends.

l claim as my invention:

1. An oblong annealing chamber having the corners of its rear end filled to reduce the width of the kiln at its inner end.

2. An oblong annealing chamber having a middle portion formed with straight Side walls and having the corners of its rear end filled to reduce the width of the kiln at its inner end.

3. An oblong annealing chamber having a middle portion formed with straight side walls and an arched top wall and having the corners of its rear end filled to reduce the width of the kiln at its rear end.

l. An oblong annealing chamberl having the corners of its front end filled on opposite sides of the kiln door.

."r. A\n oblong chamber having a middle portion formed with straight side walls and having the corners at its front and rear ends filled.

(i. An oblong chamber having its middle portion formed with straight side walls and its opposite end portions formed with end walls curved at the corners.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my mime.

THOMAS IVILLIAM RIDLEY.

Witnesses LLoYp B. 'll/vien'r, E. l. FimN/.oNL 

